peas at a party

A convergence of thoughts . . . I’ve been planning menus to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and thinking about the fun of trying to duplicate authentic recipes in a weeknight kitchen. But I’ve also been thinking about cocina nueva or the new Latina kitchen, those Hispanic influences on our everyday food. At the [...]

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I indulged last weekend at Border’s, scene of many indulgences, I confess.  I bought Sylvia Lovegren’s Fashionable Food:  Seven Decades of Food Fads.  It is such fun and one of those books that has you saying, “Of course,” as she looks at influences that brought about certain food fashions or fads.  For example, the rise of [...]

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We just watched the pilot for the new Fox series K-Ville and loved it.  The critics seem to agree, but it has definitely stirred debate about “the” New Orleans accent.  And is it New Awlins or N’Awlins?  And do New Orleanians really talk like “Yankees”?  Heh.  Just wait until they get to Tchoupitoulous and Burgundy.  That would [...]

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I was a skinny toddler. This did not turn out to be a problem that plagued me in later life. But Mom wanted me to gain enough weight and confronted with a very picky eater, also not a problem in later life, fed me lots of the few foods I liked. Carrots. [...]

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This may be my all-time favorite carrot recipe, and it’s so simple. It’s a slight (lower fat) variation of a recipe from Food TV’s Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. Leftovers are even good cold the next day!
Carrots Contessa
Serves 4; about 5-10 minutes hands on time; ready in under 20 minutes

3/4 lb (about 3 [...]

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